Zaizen the Captain
by Tako Phin
Summary: Zaizen does not understand how to be 'Zaizen the Captain'. Written for Naniwa Pair Week 2016.
This story is posted for this challenge:
tenipurishippingweeks . tumblr . co m (remove the spaces)

Naniwa Pair Week Day 2 prompt: Too Fast

 **PS: ANY OF YOU READING THIS AND IS CAPABLE OF WRITING SHOULD JOIN IN TOO. REVIVE THIS FANDOM YO!**

* * *

"I think you'll be a good captain next year."

"Hn."

Oshitari and Zaizen were casually walking together to the practice court when Zaizen suddenly stumbled onto the ground. Thankfully Oshitari's reflex were fast enough he could catch the falling boy mid-air.

"You can let me go now." Zaizen noted deadpanly. His torso was still in the embrace of the other man.

Oshitari helped him stood straight. As Zaizen straightened his uniform, Oshitari scanned around to look for the culprit. The only possible suspect was Zaizen's shoelaces, and they were perfectly tied together.

"Did you just trip on air?"

Zaizen dismissed the question him by continuing to walk ahead. So Oshitari justified it as 'bad luck' and proceed on with the day.

That had been the first warning signal.

* * *

The second signal rang the night they went out.

With Zaizen being the most likely candidate for captaincy, the poor kid often trained into the night. Oshitari would reward the kid by treating him out for dinner before sending him home.

That time, Oshitari decided to reward his junior bountifully by taking him to his favorite sweet shop, despite not being a sweet tooth himself.

Zaizen ordered the one and only thing he would always order: sweet red bean soup. Oshitari followed suit. He had just finished his bowl when a choking sound startled him. Zaizen had one hand clutching his chest and another hand covering his mouth trying to contain the coughs. Oshitari placed one hand on Zaizen's back, rubbing soothing circles. The coughings slowly subsided, leaving Zaizen wheezing for breath.

"What happened?" Oshitari questioned once Zaizen's breathing had gotten more steady. Zaizen was not the type to be that reckless.

Zaizen answered his question with a glare that said 'shut up' and drank his glass of water in gulps.

"I'm going home." Zaizen quickly rose from his seat.

"Let me walk you-"

"No." Oshitari's offer was instantly shot down by the dark haired man. Oshitari was left alone in the shop, wondering what on earth had just happened and what had pissed off the younger man so much. Zaizen did not even finish his bowl of desert, Oshitari sighed deeply.

* * *

"Iwasnottryingtodoanything."

"What?"

"Iwas nottrying todoanything"

Oshitari stared at the dark haired junior standing before him. Zaizen had tripped five more times and choked three more times since the last incident with him, according to the other members. Oshitari decided to confront him. The muttered response he got back was perplexing.

"Speak slowly. You're slurring." Oshitari noted.

"NOTHING, okay." Zaizen blurted. He tried to get out of there as fast as he could. Unfortunately for him, no one there could beat Oshitari in terms of speed. Zaizen was caught by his wrist.

"Let go senpai." Zaizen grumbled.

"Not until you tell me what is going on with you." Oshitari rebutted.

"Fine." Zaizen yanked his arm to release Oshitari's grip. His hand flew to rub at the grip marks. "You're too fast. I'm too slow. That's the issue."

Oshitari grabbed both of Zaizen's shoulder, preventing him from storming out of the place. Oshitari pulled his head all the way back…and in a blink of an eye smashed his forehead against Zaizen's. Upon the painful impact both of them recoiled, holding their forehead and wincing in pain.

"What the hell?!" Zaizen barked.

"That's for being stupid." Oshitari told firmly as he soothe his forehead. He had used too much strength in that. "I'm Naniwa's Speed Star. You expect to compare with me?" He declared proudly, striking the most arrogant pose he could muster.

Zaizen's glare hardened at the statement, Oshitari noticed. He let go of his pose and folded his arms. "Ok real talk. Why are you trying so hard to keep up with my speed?"

Zaizen folded his arms across.

"Is it the captaincy?"

Zaizen shut his eyes. Bingo.

His junior was such a child sometimes, Oshitari fondly noted as he one handedly wrestled the sulking dark haired guy. "When we say being a captain, it doesn't mean you need to become the next Shiraishi or the next me.

"Even as a captain you are still Zaizen Hikaru. And the speed you are trying to maintain these days is too fast for Zaizen Hikaru."

Oshitari turned Zaizen's body so that they face each other eye to eye. "So stop walking so fast you trip. Stop eating so fast you choke. Stop speaking so fast you slur. Leave all those to me!" Oshitari exclaimed with a grin.

Zaizen nodded in relief. He…knew, Zaizen relished in the knowledge albeit embarrasingly.

As they walked to the training ground together that day, Zaizen no longer tripped onto the ground. He walked several steps behind Oshitari, as usual, watching in amusement at his senior who kindly did the job for him. Zaizen would roll his eyes and continue walking ahead.

Because that was what Zaizen the Captain would do.

No. That was what Zaizen would have done. Zaizen turned back towards Oshitari.

"Come on, senpai." He said as he lend out a helping hand, his words held no meaning. Oshitari smiled and accepted the help.

 _This_ was what he would do as a captain.

* * *

 **I'm having so much fun with this pair that I never really know that I decided to write another one XD**


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